Amanda Abbington has reportedly received a 'substantial settlement' from the BBC over her Strictly Come Dancing bullying row. The Sherlock actress, 53, took part in the BBC Saturday night favourite three years ago and found herself at the centre of one of the show's biggest scandals in its 22-year history.
Settlement and apology
Having been paired with Giovanni Pernice for the show, she later claimed she was suffering from PTSD after the ordeal in which she accused her professional partner of "unnecessary, cruel and abusive behaviour," and she quit the series midway through. Giovanni did not return for the next series of Strictly and the BBC publicly apologised to Amanda, but now it's thought that she has actually received some financial compensation.
A source told The Sun: "Amanda's friends and family are all relieved for her that this ordeal is finally over. It's been a long, hard journey, but now she can close this chapter and move on with her life."
The source added: "The fact the BBC have compensated Amanda as well as previously publicly apologising really proves that they are taking responsibility for the bullying she suffered on set. She hopes that this case will give others strength and encourage people to speak up."
Investigation findings
The news comes just days ahead of the release of Giovanni's memoir, Taking the Lead, which is due to hit shelves on August 27, and insiders have claimed he won't hold back in telling his side of the story.
When Amanda made the accusations, the BBC launched an internal probe after at least three celebrities instructed lawyers at Carter Ruck over the alleged abuse they faced, which Giovanni vehemently denied. At the time, former Met cops were brought on by BBC bosses to oversee the "evidence gathering." As part of the inquiry, officers were said to be reviewing footage of Giovanni's rehearsals with former partner Amanda, as well as texts and screenshots between the pair.
After months of investigating, the BBC announced that it had found that Giovanni was not physically abusive, but Amanda's complaints about verbal bullying and harassment were upheld. Out of a total of 16 allegations against the dancer, six were upheld - some of which are for Giovanni using profanity. The report said the dancer's language could be 'belittling' towards his partner.
BBC statement and Amanda's response
In a statement, the broadcaster said: "The BBC has now concluded its review into the complaints made by Amanda Abbington against Giovanni Pernice. We take any allegations of bullying and harassment very seriously, and this review has taken time due to its complex nature and our desire to ensure a rigorous and robust process was undertaken.
"Strictly Come Dancing is a family show and we rightly expect very high standards. While competition can be tough, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience. It is a great shame if this hasn't been the case for everyone who has appeared on the show.
"We have assessed the complaints, and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made. We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do."
Amanda then issued a statement to say the apology 'meant a lot' to her and she hoped no other celebrity would go through the 'ordeal' she had following the investigation.
The actress said: "As the BBC has indicated today in its statement, my decision to come forward and complain about Giovanni Pernice's conduct towards me was not an easy thing to do. In the days, weeks and months since I contacted the BBC, I've been accused of being a liar, a troublemaker and of being 'mad and unstable'.
"I've also received rape and murder threats, and a bomb threat was sent to my place of work. My family and children have also been subjected to threats and intimidation.
"Despite this vile abuse, I've never regretted coming forward, and today's apology from the BBC is a vindication of my complaint. It's not just a vindication for me, it's a vindication for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly Come Dancing. I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed. The BBC has invited me to meet with senior management and this is something I will now be considering."
The Mirror has contacted Amanda's representatives for comment.
